What does it mean word for word?
The phrase fa caldo is a combination of the third-person singular of the verb fare (to do/make) and the noun caldo (heat), literally meaning "it makes heat".
Which one should you use?
While fa caldo is the standard way to describe the weather, fa un caldo boia is an informal expression used to add emphasis to the heat. To emphasize how hot it is, you can also use the expression fa un caldo da morire. In coastal regions, people might use fa un caldo torrido to mean "it's scorching hot". For a more technical or formal context, la temperatura è elevata can be used to say "the temperature is high".
Is it said differently in some regions?
The informal expression fa un caldo boia is often used in the central and southern regions of Italy. In coastal regions, people might specifically say fa un caldo torrido to describe scorching heat.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, which uses the verb "to be" (is), Italian uses the verb fare (makes) to express weather conditions.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈfa ˈkal.do/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say è caldo to mean the weather is hot. In Italian, è caldo would typically describe a person or an object that feels hot to the touch, rather than the ambient weather.
Did you know?
- The phrase fa un caldo boia literally translates to 'it makes a devil's heat'. In this context, boia refers to an executioner rather than a general demon.
- The Italian fa behaves similarly to the Spanish hace when describing weather, though they differ in how they handle time expressions like 'ago'.
- The expression fa un caldo da morire translates literally to 'it makes a heat from dying', which is used as a common hyperbole for extreme temperatures.
Examples in context
- Oggi fa davvero caldo!Today it's really hot!
- La temperatura è molto elevata oggi.The temperature is very high today.
- Oggi fa un caldo boia!Today it's scorching hot!
- Oggi fa caldo.It is hot today.
Example conversation
Sofia and Alessandro are sitting in a park during the afternoon.
- SofiaAlessandro, oggi fa caldo, vero?Alessandro, it is hot today, isn't it?
- AlessandroSì, Sofia, fa davvero molto caldo.Yes, Sofia, it is really very hot.
- SofiaVuoi un'acqua fresca?Do you want a cold water?
- AlessandroSì, grazie, ne ho proprio bisogno.Yes, thanks, I really need it.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (fa, caldo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caldo, fa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
